As Of Yet Untitled Suggestions are accepted
by Lorelei6
Summary: Shy Lily Evans somehow becomes friends with the most popular group of boys in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And three of them have a crush on her. How is she supposed to get herself out of this?
1. Default Chapter

"What do you mean? You found somebody else?" a very angry girl declared with her hands sassily fisted on her hips. Her goddess green eyes flared brightly with hot anger. She flicked the fiery red hair the fell in her face back with a toss of her head. Presently, all her anger was directed precisely towards the boy in front of her. And the boy knew he'd have to tread carefully on this ground.  
  
"I met Lola over the summer. And I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but I don't want to be with you anymore. I love her," the boy said, as if this little statement solved all the current problems.  
  
"You met this bimbo over the summer and you're finally telling me about it?" the girl asked hotly. "I bet if I hadn't come to see if you already had a compartment, you wouldn't have told me until we got to school!"  
  
"She's not a bimbo. And besides, that's not true at all, Li -" the boy began, but quickly was cut off as the girl slapped him across the face. As hard as she possibly could manage.  
  
"Goodbye, Amos Diggory. I hope that every time you see me, you run and hide, because next time I'm not going to be satisfied with just a slap across the face." On this note, the girl spun around, slammed the door behind her, and stomped to her compartment. As she shut the door behind her, she sank weakly to the floor. All the anger left her eyes now and was rapidly being replaced by tears. The girl lowered her head to her knees and let the tears come as her hair formed a curtain around her.  
  
After a few minutes, she felt the train began to move and she stood up on shaky knees. She wiped the moisture from her face and sat down next to the window. With a sigh full of self-pity, she watched the trees pass through the window as the Hogwarts Express picked up speed steadily. A knock on the door brought her out of her dazed contemplation of the trees.  
  
"Come in," she called in the direction of the door and looked up to see four boys standing in the doorway.  
  
"Hey, if you don't mind, could we sit in here? All of the other compartments are full," one of the boys asked politely.  
  
"Go ahead. There's plenty of room," the girl replied and gestured expansively to the otherwise empty compartment, hiding her hurt at the boy's last statement. Of course this was the only non-full compartment. She was always alone. She turned her gaze back out the window as the boys shuffled into the room. The girl knew exactly who these boys were. Everybody knew who these boys were. As a group, they were known as The Marauders. They were masters of pranks, procrastination, and Transfiguration. And they were also the most popular and sought after boys in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
  
James Potter, the leader of the group, sat across from her with Sirius Black at his side, like always. James had unruly black hair that begged for a woman's hand to run through it. She guessed that many hands had. And thought that she would probably never have a chance at that luxury. Behind his black rimmed glasses, his eyes were a warm, chocolate brown surrounded by think, dark eyelashes that gave his eyes impossible depth.  
  
Sirius Black, James's best friend and right-hand man, was - in a word - stunning. But the only problem with that was he knew it. Sirius had think black hair that grazed the tips of his ears and top of his eyes. He had deep blue eyes the color of the ocean that were always filled with a slight arrogance. His mouth was quick to smile and even quicker to scowl. And he looked sexy either way.  
  
Remus Lupin, the boy who had spoke earlier, sat next to her. She didn't have to look at him to know that his dirty blonde hair was longer than Sirius's and fell carelessly across his eyes, giving them a shadowed and mysterious look. His eyes were a bright blue, not as deep as Sirius's, but just as captivating. Possibly even more. One could loose oneself in such eyes. Too often, Remus seemed sick, but in good spirit nonetheless. However, the only time he looked truly happy was when he was in the presence of The Marauders.  
  
The last boy was Peter Pettigrew, who seemed more than a little out of place. He had black hair, but it was somehow dull in color, and brown eyes that could not compare to James's. And he held the overall appearance of just rolling out of bed. Not very pleasing. He sat slightly away from the rest of the group, leaving a gap on the seat between him and Sirius.  
  
The girl felt as if someone was staring at her, but tried to ignore it. In the reflection of the window, she could tell that all the boys, except Peter who had suddenly begun to snore, were gazing intently at her. Undoubtedly trying to figure out who she was. She had a feeling they weren't going to work out this puzzle any time soon. The girl specialized in keeping to the shadows and remaining unseen by those who might hurt her if they saw her. She had a feeling she should have kept Amos as far away from her as she kept everyone else. He had done nothing but cause her pain. But in the beginning it had been so sweet! He had been nice and kind, until about three months before school ended. Amos started to become cruel and mean, ordering the girl about. Of course, she didn't realize all this when it had happened. She had been trapped into thinking that she had been in the wrong, that she had deserved to be punished. She had been an idiot, and she could admit it now that she wasn't blinded by stupid love. She shouldn't have let him push her around like that. Right then, she vowed she would never let anyone - male or female, lover or friend - hurt her like that ever again. She would simply never put herself in a position where it could happen.  
  
And she would never love again.  
  
"You're in seventh year, aren't you?" James asked, startling the girl out of her harsh self-evaluation.  
  
"Yes, I am," she said softly and reluctantly turned around to face the boys, although she was careful to avoid looking any of them directly in the eyes. Peter continued to snore as James, Sirius and Remus regarded her with interest.  
  
"Wait, aren't you going out with Amos Diggory?" Remus asked, speaking just as quietly as she had. She looked away from him as she heard a rude snort from across the compartment. Sirius was sitting there with a look of true hatred unhidden on his face. James at least had the decency to try and hid the fact that he hated Amos, despite that fact that it wasn't working.  
  
"What are you hanging around him for? The man doesn't have a speck of sense in his head. And he's a bad Beater at that," Sirius said, as if this was an insult to him directly. But perhaps it was, considering the fact that he was also a Beater and clearly thought that one unskilled Beater was an insult to the rest.  
  
"Sirius . . ." James admonished, his voice full of warning.  
  
"It's okay, James," the girl said softly. James jumped at the sound of his name. He seemed surprised that she knew his name. Why, the girl couldn't fathom. Everyone at school knew exactly who he was. "We aren't together anymore."  
  
"Good riddance to bad rubbish," Sirius grumbled and earned a jab in the ribs by James and a stomp on the foot by Remus.  
  
"It's okay, Lily," James said with a sheepish smile on his face. Now it was Lily's turn to be startled. How did he know her name? "He didn't deserve you anyway."  
  
"Yeah, Lily. You deserve better," Sirius said, making sure he used her name. He had a feeling that the only people who knew and used her name were the teachers. He also gave her a clearly flirtatious smile.  
  
"So don't lower your expectations and go out with Sirius, Lils," Remus said, liking the sound of the nickname. It just rolled off his tongue. "You don't mind if I call you 'Lils', do you?"  
  
"No, not at all." For the first time since she talked to Amos, Lily Evans smiled. The smile simply transformed her face. It seemed as if it was brighter and healthier. That she had some substance to her. And it made her plenty more approachable. Unconsciously, Remus moved closer to Lily and turned to her, making his leg brush against hers. He thought the blush that crept up her neck was simply charming. "But how did you know my name in the first place?"  
  
"We know everybody in the school, Lily dear. It's our business," Sirius said and leaned forward as he focused his attention entirely on her.  
  
"Oh? But I thought your business was to prank people?"  
  
"That, too, Lily flower," James said as he leaned in as Sirius did, only he managed to get closer as he was sitting directly across from her. "But you have our solemn promise as The Marauders that we will never prank you, unless we are forced by some evil force." He had the feeling that she needed friends, not pranksters.  
  
"Yeah, don't worry, Lils. We won't change your hair some horrid color of green or anything along those lines," Sirius said and loved the way she beamed at the nickname.  
  
"Or perform any pranks on you along any other lines," Remus added and put his arm around her shoulder, making the other two boys feel uncharacteristic pangs of jealousy. "I have the feeling this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."  
  
"So do I, Remus. So do I," Lily agreed and sighed. 


	2. Train Ride

Dear Readers,  
  
Thank you for the reviews! Not to be a brat, but I would like more reviews. (Hint, hint.) ( I love all you guys!! And please remember, suggestions are very very welcome. I know it may be a bit early in the story (and none of you know what I plan to write in the future, but if you have a thought, please voice it. Once again, thank you!  
  
Lorelei  
  
So far, Lily thought that the train ride to Hogwarts was possibly the most eventful one she had ever been on. James and Sirius played somewhat harmless pranks on each other, and on the sleeping Peter. Remus just sat there, sort of observing the whole thing with a slight smile on his face and he slid occasional looks at her. Once or twice she caught him staring, but she didn't really mind. It was nice to know that somebody wanted her. Suddenly, Lily felt rather tired and lifted a hand to cover the yawn. Out of the corner of his eye, James saw the slight movement and saw Lily blink sleepily. Remus had vacated his seat to play a game of Wizard's Chess with Sirius, so James moved to where his friend had once been sitting.  
  
"What's the matter Lils? Tired?" James asked and was amused when Lily jumped a little at the sound of his voice. Apparently she still wasn't used to people talking to her.  
  
"Just a little," she admitted with a sheepish smile. She tried to hide another yawn behind her hand, but James saw it anyway.  
  
"Come here. You can use my shoulder as a pillow," he said as he pushed Lily's head onto her shoulder and put his arm around her. When he felt a little resistance his just raised an eyebrow at her.  
  
"Oh, no, I'd be just fine if I just -"  
  
"What's wrong? Don't tell me you're a little afraid of leaning on me, are you?" Lily realized that he was laughing at her and was not at all pleased. She may want to be invisible, but she wasn't a pushover.  
  
"Don't make fun of me. It's just that I -" With a shake of her head, Lily stopped what she was about to say and laid her head on James's shoulder.  
  
"What? It's just that you what?" James prompted.  
  
"It's nothing."  
  
"Come on, Lily."  
  
"It's nothing," she insisted. She tried to burrow her head in James's shoulder and snuggle, but he was the one resisting now.  
  
"Tell me." James pulled her back by her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Please."  
  
"No, James. I don't want to get into it."  
  
"Lily -"  
  
"It's none of your business, James!" Lily declared and pushed out of his grip, all earlier signs of tiredness forgotten. She stood up and looked around the compartment. That's when she noticed that both Sirius and Remus were staring at her. It made her feel amazingly angrier. What right did these people have, poking in on her private life? None at all. So she didn't have to tell them. She didn't need them. She was doing perfectly fine on her own. "You don't have to know."  
  
"What do you mean 'I don't have to know'?" James exclaimed, not noticing that Peter awoke with a loud snort, as he stood. "Obviously, you were hurt by someone, and I like to know about it when one of my friends gets hurt!"  
  
"Friends? Friends?!" Lily yelled disbelievingly. "We are not friends, James Potter. Just because you spend a train ride with me doesn't mean that we're pals for life!" Dimly, she felt the Hogwarts Express slowly down, signaling that they were approaching the school. "And I'm sure that right after we get off this train, you'll forget everything about me. That I'll just become some seventh year Gryffindor girl that doesn't deserve your almighty attention. Don't let it get to your conscience when you do forget about me either, I'm used to it." As much as it hurt to say it, Lily knew her own words were true. She was a very forgettable person.  
  
"But, Lily -"  
  
"I'll see you, James." Lily turned around, nodded goodbye to the other boys that quickly left the room.  
  
"Lily!" she heard James yell as she closed the compartment door after her. Damn all men, they always seemed to ruin her day. And today, the first day back to her favorite school, two different men ruined it. Go figure.  
  
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"What did you do to her, James?" Sirius asked irritably. "Just when she was getting used to us, you chased her away!"  
  
"I didn't do anything, Padfoot, old friend, and I didn't chase her away. She ran away," James reasoned. Indeed, she had run away. But from what exactly he had no idea.  
  
"She's afraid," Remus said softly. So softly, that he was barely heard. But The Marauders were used to their soft-spoken friend and they all caught what he said.  
  
"Of what?" James asked, throwing up his hands. Women were so aggravating.  
  
"Of you, I think. I imagine she's also afraid of Sirius and I."  
  
"Of us? Why?"  
  
"Yeah, why? We aren't very frightening, unless we don't like you," Sirius added, "then we're downright freaky."  
  
"But we told Lily that we wouldn't do anything," James protested. "We promised."  
  
"Yeah, and The Marauders don't go back on their word," Sirius added.  
  
"I don't think that's it," Remus said, looking to Sirius and James. "I think she's just afraid to get close. Lily Brenna Evans hasn't made one good friend in all her years at Hogwarts. She separates everyone. She doesn't want to have to trust anybody."  
  
"We'll just have to change that," James said determinedly and stood up.  
  
"What the hell is going on, guys?" Peter asked, having slept through the entire episode. Just then, them felt the train come to a complete stop. They had reached Hogwarts.  
  
"We'll fill you in later, Wormtail," James said as he moved towards the door. "But first, we have to find Lily." 


	3. Influence of The Cat

Ech, I can't believe I forgot to put up my disclaimer. Well, actually I can because I'm a quite forgetful person, but that's besides the point. So here's my disclaimer that counts for the other two chapters also.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Harry Potter. By Merlin's Beard, I wish I did. I only own the plot and some characters that are sprouted in my little mind. Like Catrina Figg. Guess who she is!  
  
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Lily walked into Hogwarts and felt like she was finally home. Even though she was basically unknown amongst the other witches and wizards, she felt that she fit in here. At least she wasn't a total freak. Sure, she thought as she sat down in an empty spot at the table away from everyone else, she may be somewhat shunned, but that's the way she wanted it. Wasn't it? Looking around the Great Hall, Lily suddenly realized that it wasn't how she wanted it. That she had been blind to Amos's cruelty because she felt like someone finally noticed her. And she hadn't wanted to sacrifice that. She simply wanted to be noticed and cared for and . . . befriended.  
  
When Lily heard the feminine murmurs around her, she didn't look up from her contemplation of the table. She didn't have to look to know who they were whispering about. They were whispering about The Marauders, the boys who she had thought could eventually become her friends. Oh how naïve she had been proved to be. Why would they want to be friends with her?  
  
"Hey, Lils, why'd you run off like that?" Remus asked companionably as he sat down next to her and threw his arm around her shoulder. "I know we can be scary at times, but I didn't think we were that horrifying."  
  
"Yeah, what was with that, Lils? I had to deal with a waking Peter on my own," Sirius added as he sat on the other side of her, "and that is not a pretty sight."  
  
"On your own?" James asked as he sat across from Lily. "What are Remus and I? Chopped liver? And it was my fault Lily left. I'm sorry for it."  
  
"It's all right, I suppose I just overreacted," Lily said, not meeting any of their eyes. She was aware that most of the people in the Great Hall were focused in on them. She was also aware that she was surrounded by three very sexually persuasive, even if they were not trying to be, boys. She was extremely uncomfortable and her face was red. Unfortunately, they noticed.  
  
"Aww, look guys! She blushes!" Sirius exclaimed, simply beaming at the thought. "How adorable!"  
  
"She can't be a shameless hussy after all," Remus said reasonably and squeezed her one shoulder.  
  
"You haven't gotten me alone," Lily replied slyly, and seemed more than a little shocked at her cheeky reply.  
  
"Yet," James said with an unmistakable twinkle in his eye that made Lily blush an even darker shade of red. She brought her gaze down to the table to avoid James's beautifully expressive eyes. Just then, an enormous explosion sounded from the front of the room. Lily looked up to see Severus Snape covered in soot and coughing madly. A broadly grinning Peter slid into the seat next to James. "Direct hit," he declared happily.  
  
"Good one, Peter. Perfect for the first day of school," Sirius said as Remus and James gave Peter high fives.  
  
"Good afternoon, Hogwarts students!" Professor Dumbledore announced as he stood up. Immediately all conversation and laughs stopped so they could hear the Headmaster's speech. "If Severus would kindly take his seat, we could begin the feast." Grumbling, the boy made his way to the Slytherin table and sat unhappily down. "Thank you. Now," Dumbledore said as he clapped his hands together, "you may begin the feast." Mounds of food heaped onto the gleaming plates before them and Sirius's eyes fell greedily on the chicken legs.  
  
"Just to let you know, so this way you don't become sick," James began as Sirius piled chicken onto his plate, "Sirius is a bit obsessive about his chicken."  
  
"Don't worry, I can be a little obsessive about my oranges," Lily said with a shrug as she grabbed one off a fruit dish. "We all have our weaknesses."  
  
"Yeah," Remus said as he plucked a fuzzy green fruit off the same dish that Lily got her orange off of, "this is mine. I can't get enough of my kiwi. And believe me, that can prove to be a rather difficult weakness to have in England."  
  
"What's your weakness, James?" Lily asked innocently, and was rewarded with a sly smile that had her thinking that she shouldn't have asked the question.  
  
"My weakness? I have a certain weakness for redheaded witches," he replied, making Lily blush once again. "Oh, and sardines."  
  
"ERGH!" Lily said disgustedly. "How can you eat those things they are so disgusting! How can you eat any type of seafood? They smell so bad!" By this time she realized that The Marauders were out and out laughing at her. She folded her arms across her chest and patiently waited for the kids to calm down.  
  
"You seriously thought I liked sar - sardines?" James asked breathlessly, still laughing slightly.  
  
"Yes! You dweeb!" she replied bad-temperedly and playfully hit James on the shoulder.  
  
"Hey," James groaned, rubbing his shoulder, "that hurt."  
  
"Uh-huh. Sure." Lily calmly went back to her orange and meticulously began peeling it.  
  
"You don't like seafood, Lily?" Remus said and sliced a piece of his kiwi, ignoring the disgusted look Sirius threw in his direction.  
  
"Nope. I don't like foods that smell weird."  
  
" 'Foods that smell weird'?" Sirius asked. "Like what?"  
  
"Like any seafood, mayonnaise, mustard, hard-boiled eggs, asparagus. Except I do eat asparagus when you get it slightly burned, but it's nice and floppy." Lily bit into a juicy segment of an orange. "Mmm, but I do like my oranges."  
  
"So you don't eat eggsalad?"  
  
"No way, Sirius."  
  
"How about tuna-fish sandwiches?" James asked.  
  
"Don't think so."  
  
"How about potato salad?"  
  
"That, I do eat," Lily said around a mouthful of orange. "I especially love my mother's potato salad. On barbecues -" she suddenly cut off to realign her thoughts. She didn't want to reveal too much at one time. "She makes the best."  
  
Sirius, sensing her unease, decided to change topics. "Now my mother, she can't cook for anything. Besides, I'd be afraid that she was poisoning the food. And I can't trust the house elf either. If I had to live off their food, I would have died when I was three." To punctuate this point, he crunched healthily into his chicken.  
  
Lily gaped at the offhandish way Sirius spoke of his apparent dislike for his mother. "That's horrible, Sirius!"  
  
"Horrible," James agreed, "but true. I've tasted both Mrs. Black's and Kreacher's cooking, and I'm not sure if you can even call it food."  
  
"I'll have to agree on that one," Remus said, ignoring Lily's appalled look.  
  
"Well it's not like your mom's food is much better," Sirius said casually and caused James to spit the pumpkin juice he had just sipped back in his goblet as he sputtered with laughter. "She's a great person and all, but her cookies are hard as rock." This time Lily joined in on the laughter.  
  
"I think I chipped a tooth once on Mrs. Potter's cookies," Remus commented matter-of-factly as Lily wiped the tears from her eyes.  
  
"Is anybody's mother a good cook here?" she asked, slightly breathless.  
  
"Remus's," James and Sirius replied simultaneously.  
  
"Yeah, my mom's a cordon bleu chef compared to your parentals," Remus said as he took a sip from his goblet of pumpkin juice. "But that's not saying much."  
  
"My mom's an okay cook," Peter said softly from his corner of the table.  
  
"That's right," James said as he through an arm around Peter's shoulders, "Mrs. Pettigrew is probably the best cook out of all of us."  
  
"Yeah, well wait until you taste my mom's cooking. You'll feel like you have died and gone to heaven."  
  
"Is that an invitation, Lils?" Remus asked and was delighted by Lily's smile.  
  
"Yeah, I guess it is." Lily had never even invited one of her friends when she was younger over her house. The idea of having friends over was rather appealing. And pleasant. Until she thought of her sister and her reaction to having wizards in the house.  
  
"You might not want to give The Marauders such a free invitation to your household. I've heard they run rampant." Lily looked behind her to see a tall girl, about 5'9" with long brown hair pulled back in a high ponytail standing with hands sassily on her hips. Her lips were curved into a smirk, like they usually were, that clearly indicated she knew at least one person at that table pretty well.  
  
"Cat!" Lily exclaimed as she jumped up and awkwardly hugged the girl over the bench. "Oh, I haven't seen you in so long, Cat."  
  
"So long? Lily, darling, it was just two months ago," Cat said as she hugged Lily back. "But I know what you mean. With you not able to owl or anything . . ." Cat quickly cut off as she saw the look Lily gave her. Clearly, The Marauders didn't know anything about her friend. This didn't surprise her at all. It had taken almost three years of being in the same dormitory for Lily to loosen up and talk to her about anything other than homework. "So, how've you been?"  
  
"Pretty good," Lily lied. "Well, maybe not. I'll tell you everything later. Sit down with us. Please."  
  
"All right, you've convinced me." Cat sat comfortably next to James and leaned over him to grab a carrot. "I don't know why the carrots are never right near me. I always have to go miles away to get my food," she grumbled half-heartedly.  
  
"Oh, hush, Cat. All you ever do is complain."  
  
"Oh, be quiet, Lil. You're not complaining because you always get what you want."  
  
"Now that, my dearest friend, is certainly not true," Lily said, gesturing to Cat with an orange segment, "and you know that for a fact." Remus, Sirius, and James all sat with triplicate looks of astonishment on their faces. Even in the short amount of time that they had gotten to know Lily Evans, they noticed that she didn't take anything casually. And here she was, casually - there was no other word for it - fighting with Cat.  
  
"I know, I know," Cat said with a mouthful of carrot. "Just like you know I don't always complain and that I only do so because I have nothing better to do with my time."  
  
"I know something she could do," Sirius muttered to himself.  
  
"Oh, really, Mr. Black?" James said mischievously. He had seen how he had been looking at the girl and knew exactly what he was thinking. "And what could she do?"  
  
"I'm sorry, I have a feeling I missed half the conversation. What did Sirius say?" Cat asked quite sincerely.  
  
"I, uh, I was commenting on how we were never introduced. I'm Sirius Black."  
  
"Yeah, I know who you are. Just like I know who Remus, James, and Peter are. And obviously, Remus has a preference for kiwis, which Sirius hates; Sirius has a preference for chicken, which I find rather disgusting; Peter has a preference for caramel apples, which tend to give you bad teeth; James has a preference for redheads, not sardines, and appletarts. Altogether, it seems that you guys are a pretty healthy bunch. Except Sirius.  
  
"But what else would you expect from someone with such horrible cooking?"  
  
At Cat's rundown of the boys' preferences, The Marauders sat dumbfounded. How did one girl know so much about them? And how did they she become friends with sweet, quiet, subdued Lily? Speaking of sweet, quiet, subdued Lily, she was most definitely cracking a rib from laughing so hard. She buried her head in Sirius's shoulder so she wouldn't fall over in helpless laughter.  
  
"How'd you know all that?" James asked, slightly stunned. "Are you a stalker, or something?"  
  
"No, I am not a stalker. But you might want to see about some of the other Gryffindor girls. They are pretty creepy."  
  
"I'll make sure I watch out for them."  
  
"So," Sirius said once Lily stopped laughing into his shoulder, "who are you anyway?"  
  
"GASP! Don't tell you don't know who I am!" Cat said with an expression of feigned astonishment on her face. "I am the incomparable, unforgettable, exquisitely gorgeous, extremely intelligent -"  
  
"Remarkably immodest Catrina Figg," Lily finished. "She is also my closest friend. So be nice, children."  
  
"Us? We're always nice," Sirius pronounced, earning an elbow in the ribs.  
  
"Yeah right, you take after your mother, Sirius," James muttered. To everyone's surprise, Sirus's face turned bright red. In anger.  
  
"I'm nothing like my mother, and you know that for a fact."  
  
"Hey, calm down, Padfoot," James said, holding up his hands in a gesture for peace. "I didn't mean that." When he placed a hand on his shoulder, everyone sucked in a breath, dreading the worst.  
  
"I know, Prongs. Sorry," Sirius replied, his face slowly turning back to it's regular color.  
  
"It was my fault, kid. I shouldn't have said it. I know that it's a sore spot for ya." Sirius just shrugged off the apology.  
  
"It's cool."  
  
"Um . . . o . . . kay . . ." Cat said, definitely feeling confused and left out. She didn't like the feeling. And she didn't much care for the tension around the table. "So, how was everyone's summer?" she asked hopefully, trying to break the ice.  
  
"Okay," Sirius and James muttered at the same time, looking at their plates. Realizing they said this at the same time, the looked up and grinned hugely at each other. "Don't do that. Stop. You're scaring me. Chill. Cool it! Damn it! Merlin's beard!" They said together, then broke off in hysterical fits of laughter. Remus smiled and Peter just sat there, staring at the same place on the table he had been staring at for the last half-hour. Lily and Cat looked at each other with twin facades.  
  
"Weird," they said at the same time. "Hey! Stop reading my mind! I told you that it is rude. Stop it! Come on, kid. Give me some slack. Cool it. Stop! You promised that you wouldn't do it anymore. But I'm not! Yes you are! It's not me! Come on! Bloody hell, can't you stop? Bat dung!" they pronounced and stopped at the same moment. Then they started cracking up, holding their stomachs and doubling over in laughter.  
  
James, Remus, and Sirius looked at the pair, once again astonished at Lily's behavior. Could one person really change another so much? Apparently they could. And they didn't think it was a bad thing at all.  
  
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Ech. I don't like the way I ended that chapter. But it just kept going and going and going . . . so I just ended it. Hopefully the next chapter will be better. You tell me! Read and Review! Pretty please! 


	4. Unexpected Sympathy

Disclaimer: Ech, I hate these things. I don't own anything Harry Potter, except the characters created in my own crazy mind.  
  
A/N: I'm not sure what year I said these kids were in, but they are in sixth year. Just to get that clear. Also, I have no clue what happened with the quotation marks and apostrophes. If you are reading this now and it is all fixed, than ignore this comment. I really don't know what happened. But wherever there is a quotation mark or apostrophe, these weird symbols are showing up. And I'm pretty sure it is not my computer. If you are having similar problems, please state such in the review section (ha! You have to review now!) so this way I don't feel alone. Thanks! Story time!  
  
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"Okay, Lily. Spill," Cat demanded once they were back in the dormitory they shared with three other girls.  
  
" 'Spill' what?" Lily answered nonchalantly as she got out a pair of pajamas.  
  
"You know exactly what I am talking about, Lily dear. But since you seem determined to pretend that you don't, I'll tell you what. How did you manage to have the three most popular men in this school, three because we don't count that creep Peter, drooling all over you?" Cat replied, plopping down on her bed without bothering to change her clothes. Most likely, she would end up scrambling around for something to wear ten minutes before classes started the next day.  
  
"They weren't drooling over me," she replied, tiptoeing carefully around the question and she changed her shirt with her back to Cat.  
  
"They were too, and you are just avoiding the question, Miss Lily Evans. Answer it already before I have to get up and actually put some truth in the threats I am about to make."  
  
With a sigh, Lily changed into her pajama pants and turned to Cat who now had her eyes closed, entirely relaxed with the knowledge that Lily would now reveal what she wanted Lily to reveal. "I had been talking to Amos and then I went to a compartment. I was sitting in there when The Marauders knocked on the door. I let them in and they stayed because there was a lot of room in the compartment. Then we just started talking. And then James and I got in a fight over something and I stomped out when the train stopped. When I got to the Great Hall, I sat down and then The Marauders came over.  
  
"And that's it," Lily finished sitting down on her bed, pretending that it was no big deal. Only Cat would be able to see that the façade was just a farce.  
  
"Yeah," Cat snorted, "and I'm Mary, Queen of Scots."  
  
"Didn't she have red hair?"  
  
"Oh, hush." She promptly threw a pillow at Lily and was content with her entirely feminine screech. "You know what I meant." For a second she just lay there trying to process the information. Then something Lily had said didn't sound quite right . . . "Wait a second . . . what did you talk to Diggory about?"  
  
Lily winced at the tone of her friend's voice. Cat hadn't liked Amos from the beginning, and she was bound to gloat at the fact that she was correct in judging his character. "We broke up." For a few moments, Cat just lay on her bed, staring unblinkingly at Lily.  
  
"What did you say again?"  
  
"We broke up." Lily closed her eyes and waited for the gloating to begin.  
  
"Oh, honey," Cat said, her voice dripping with sympathy. "What happened?"  
  
Lily kept her eyes closed so she wouldn't cry again. She should have known that Cat would be sympathetic, but she tended to think the worst of people. "He met someone over the summer."  
  
With a gasp, Cat got up to sit next to Lily. "He cheated on you?" Lily's nod and the tear that slipped out of her eye only encouraged Cat's rage. "That dickhead. He should die for hurting you." She put her arm around her best friend, who immediately turned her head into Cat's shoulder to cry her eyes out. "Oh, honey. He really hurt you bad, didn't he?"  
  
"He shouldn't have mattered that much!" Lily said between sobs. "I shouldn't have let him get so close!"  
  
"How did you know he would be such a backstabbing asswod?" Cat said, not failing to make her friend laugh. She rubbed her back soothingly. "Don't worry, tomorrow we can hex him to hell. Okay?"  
  
Lily laughed as she drew back and wiped her now red eyes. "Sounds like a plan to me." She shook her head, as if to shake away the memories. "Man, I must look like a complete and total mess."  
  
"No - well," Cat said, looking at Lily, "can't say it's been your best day. But not your worst, either."  
  
"Thanks, Cat," Lily said dryly.  
  
"Hey, you know how I am. I can't tell a lie."  
  
"Bullshit, and you know it."  
  
Cat's eyes narrowed in false anger, but the laughter dancing in them gave her away. "Oh? Then go ahead and tell me a time when I have lied. And to teachers doesn't count."  
  
"Well," Lily began, pleased to have this opportunity, "how about you constantly denying your six year long crush on one Sirius Black?" Cat immediately turned bright red.  
  
"I don't have a crush on Sirius and I never have," Cat denied, though the lie was clearly stated all over her face.  
  
"Yes you do. You fell head over heels the first time you saw him in first year," Lily insisted.  
  
"No I don't. And how would you know? We weren't even friends in first year."  
  
Lily grinned mischievously and spoke primly and businesslike. "I seem to recall a certain conversation you had with one Laura Lichen, one of our roommates, about one Sirius Black. In the said conversation, both of you agreed that you would love Mr. Black until the day you died. The next week, Miss Lichen went out with Mr. Black and you, in a terrible fit of jealously, insisted that you would never talk to Miss Lichen again, which you haven't, because she betrayed you. Then, when Mr. Black dumped Miss Lichen a week later, you said to Melissa Maticourt, another roommate, that you would never go out with a man as fickle as Mr. Black."  
  
"I seem to remember all those conversations," Cat interrupted impatiently. "How you came to hear them is a mystery."  
  
"I heard them because I was always around, but never noticed."  
  
"You should stick out more. With those big, bright, gorgeous green eyes, which I am terribly jealous of, and that red hair you should stick like a sore thumb," Cat said casually, pleased to see that she had steered Lily away from the former topic.  
  
"I'm not thrown off the track that easy, darling," Lily said and laughed as Cat cursed. "But I'll let the conversation lie because I can here people coming up the steps which means we can't be along anymore."  
  
"Thank goodness," Cat mumbled and crawled wearily under her covers. She closed her eyes as soon as her eyes hit the pillow, but opened them as she felt a pair of eyes on her. Lily had crawled into bed as well, but was staring a Cat with an amused look on her face. "What?"  
  
"You also dream."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Your dreams are further evidence to the case. In your sleep, you constantly mumble said Mr. Black's name," Lily announced in her businesslike voice. She simply laughed at Cat's half-hearted attempts at speaking. "Pleasant dreams, Calico."  
  
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That is probably the shortest chapter I will ever have. I know that it was all Cat/Lily action, but I wanted to kind of establish them a little more, you know? Besides, I wanted to show that Lily isn't as shy as she is made out to be. She will become more outspoken. A little note for those of you who have read the fifth book (and for those who haven't, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?) - I will have to story go in the direction the chapter entitled Snape's Worst Memory indicated. I'm just not there yet.  
  
Review!! Please!! I love all of you!! Even if you give me a really sucky review. At least that means you had enough feeling for the chapter to say something about it. See you next chapter! 


	5. Meow

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter, sadly enough. If I did, I wouldn't be posting stories on FanFiction.net.  
  
Hello, readers! Here's my chapter five, as you already know. I'm sorry about the delay! My computer room, which also serves as a bedroom for my older brother, is a complete mess. I lost my floppy disk! Somehow, it ended up on the total other side of the room, under a pile of clothes . . . Anyway, not a lot of action, but I promise, more will come up. On with the story!  
  
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"So, what do you think?" Sirius asked the group in general as they lounged in their dormitory. He was sprawled across the bed, fully clothed with no desire to change.  
  
"What do we think about what?" Remus asked innocently and evasively. You had to work to get a straight answer out of him, even when he wasn't doing it on purpose.  
  
"Miss Lily Brenna Evans, my dear Mooney."  
  
"What rock did she crawl out of?" James asked as he plopped down onto his bed, also fully clothed.  
  
"A beautiful one," Sirius sighed, for once not caring how lovestruck he sounded.  
  
"Oh, yeah," James agreed, running his hands through his already messy hair.  
  
"James, you don't have to do that," Remus said, seeing the motion that he personally abhorred.  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Yeah, there aren't any chicks here."  
  
"What do you mean, Sirius?" James asked, truly confused.  
  
Remus rolled his eyes. "What we both mean is that we know you only ruffle your hair because chicks seem to love it. And that you don't need to do it when it's only us guys."  
  
"Yeah," Sirius agreed, "what he said."  
  
"I didn't even realize I did it."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"It was just out of habit."  
  
"Break that habit."  
  
"Bad habits are hard to break, Mooney."  
  
"That's true, Padfoot."  
  
"Would you guys stop talking about James's hair, already!" Peter exclaimed, throwing up his hands in exasperation. (A/N: I really don't like Peter, but he has to be in the story or else it wouldn't be right. And I can't just have him sit there doing nothing because then I can't have any fun with him. So he's here. Any complaints can be directed into the review section.)  
  
"Yeah, I agree with Peter," James said, getting up and walking over to his dresser. "I'd much rather talk about the wonderful, beautiful, and shy Lily Brenna Evans."  
  
"Hmm . . . yes, let's talk about her," Remus said and sat down on his bed, the only one in pajamas. "And she didn't just appear in Hogwarts."  
  
"What do you mean?" James said, he voice muffled as he pulled off his shirt. "I recognize her, but I can't really place her."  
  
"She's the other Gryffindor prefect," Remus said and smiled at the look on Sirius's and James's face. Peter had started snoring over on his bed and the rest of the Marauders skillfully ignored him.  
  
"Lily?! A prefect?!" James exclaimed. "That's how I recognized her!"  
  
"A prefect?!" Sirius repeated. "Damn . . . that sucks."  
  
"Hey!" Remus exclaimed, trying to sound hurt. "What's so bad about being a prefect? I'm one."  
  
"But that's different. I have no inclination to go out with you. I can't go out with a prefect! Do you have any idea what that would do to my reputation?" Sirius exclaimed.  
  
"Fine, that means that I don't have to compete with you for Lily," James said casually, pulling on his pajama pants. "It'll only be me and Remus."  
  
"Remus and I," Remus corrected automatically. "And it's not a competition."  
  
"Of course it is. When best friends like the same chick, it's always a competition."  
  
"Oh, well, then. In that case, I'll just point out that I'll see her more because of prefect meetings and such," Remus said matter-of-factly.  
  
James smirked and lay back on his bed with his hands behind his head. "That will just make the chase more thrilling."  
  
"Look at you, James," Sirius said. "You're disgusting."  
  
"What did you just say?" James asked and narrowed his eyes in warning.  
  
"You're disgusting. You're talking about Lily like she's an animal. That's just not right," he continued with a shake of his head. "This isn't a chase. This is an opportunity to get to know you're peers better."  
  
"Well look who's Mr. High And Mighty all of a sudden," Remus mocked. Before Sirius could reply, he threw a pillow directly at his face.  
  
"Hey, what was that for?"  
  
"I had nothing better to do."  
  
"Bastard."  
  
"Slytherin."  
  
"Okay, that was really low," Sirius said, slightly amused that his friend would use such tactics. "You've really learned a lot being around us, haven't you?"  
  
"You betcha." Remus pulled the covers back an lay down under them. "Enough that I know when you're checking out a girl."  
  
"Well, duh, we've only been talking about Lily for -"  
  
"Oh, not Lily," Remus said with a mischievous smile and pulled the covers up.  
  
"Who then?"  
  
"Just some girl."  
  
"What girl?"  
  
"Some . . . girl." Remus deftly closed the curtains. "Goodnight, Siripoo!"  
  
"Remus!" Sirius exclaimed. "Tell me!" Fake snoring noises were heard from the other side of the curtains. "NOW!" When no answer was heard, Sirius stalked over to Remus's bed and threw open the curtains. "Tell me."  
  
Remus rolled his eyes and sleepily said, "Meow. Good night." Sirius just stood there with his mouth wide open. "Planning on catching some pixies?" he said dryly and quickly feel asleep. Sirius sat down on his bed and was so stunned that he didn't even say anything to James while he was rolling on the bed cracking up.  
  
"Meow? What by Merlin's beard is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Meow!" James said breathlessly. "Cat!"  
  
"Yeah, James," Sirius said, rolling his eyes, "I know that is the sound of a cat, but what -"  
  
"Cat. As in Catrina Figg, you dunderhead," he replied, wiping tears from his eyes. "It seems that I wasn't the only one that noticed you looking at her."  
  
"Cat? The loud one?"  
  
"Yeah, the loud one. The one that is friends with our dearest shy Lily flower."  
  
"Well, she's hot for sure, but I don't think she's my type."  
  
"Oh, right. She didn't seem to be quite the clingy type -"  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?  
  
"Oh, nothing really. Just that you seem to like those clingy girlfriends who worship the very ground you walk on."  
  
"Well, of course," Sirius said, rolling his eyes. "Why would I go with someone who doesn't worship me? What's the sense of that?"  
  
"The sense, my dear Padfoot," James said philosiphically, "is that you actually have to work for what you want. If you just go around in life expecting things to land at your feet, it's no fun."  
  
"That's easy for you to say, considering that you're in the same position I am."  
  
"What do you mean," he asked, pretending to be astonished. "Are you insinuating that women just fall at my feet?"  
  
"James, you know as well as I do that women do exactly that."  
  
"I wonder why . . ."  
  
"Could it have something to do with you being Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, star Chaser, your impeccable lineage and good looks?"  
  
"Absolutely not, Sirius," James answered, climbing under his covers. "Although it's all true, they have nothing to do with it."  
  
"Yeah, especially since you're a virgin," Sirius mumbled, closing his curtains and turning his back to James. Because of this, he couldn't express satisfaction in seeing James's face become bright red at his words.  
  
"Shut up, Padfoot."  
  
"Hey," he replied sleepily, "it's not my fault you didn't take any of the opportunities. Good night, Prongsie."  
  
"Night, Siripoo." James lay under his covers, the curtains drawn staring at the ceiling for quite awhile. And when he did sleep, he dreamt of a mysterious redhead with shocking green eyes.  
  
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Well? What do you think? I know it was just Marauder action, but it was something. Besides I thought it was necessary for the following chapters. Tell me what you think! Review! Please! 


	6. Cat Fight

Disclaimer: Ya, ya, ya . . . I don't own anything you recognize. J.K. owns it. Grr . . .  
  
A/N: Okay, first, I have to put in this author's note. I was watching Late Night With Conan O'Brian on Comedy Central and this chick came on. I can't remember for the life of me what her name was, but she starred in that movie Frieda . . . Anyway . . . she's Mexican and she was talking about the song "La Cucaracha" (I probably spelled that horribly wrong). Apparently, it's about how the roach couldn't walk anymore because it didn't have any marijuana to smoke. I just found that amusing. Story time!  
  
A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in so long!! I apologize!! Apologizing!! I had the worse case of writer's block. I'm sorry!!  
  
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"First day back at school, and we start with Double Potions," Sirius grumbled over his breakfast. "With the Slytherins."  
  
"I know, Sirius. You've told us ten times already. And you could have given it up, dunderhead," James grumbled back.  
  
"Wow, some people just aren't meant for mornings," Remus said with a smile and earned glares from both of his friends. They had left Peter in the dormitory so he could continue sleeping.  
  
"Shut up, Remus," Sirius said through a mouthful of cold cereal.  
  
"You're just angry because you haven't seen your kitty yet," Remus replied.  
  
"I said shut up, Remus. And I don't care about Cat."  
  
"You don't? Then I suppose you wouldn't care that she just entered the room looking as much as a morning as you with Lily who is looking completely refreshed." At Cat's name, Sirius looked up quickly and stopped his hand that was halfway to his mouth with a spoonful of cereal that slopped into his bowel.  
  
Remus raised his hand and waved at Lily who waved back and pulled a grumpy Cat over to them. "Good morning, guys," Lily said merrily, plopping down next to Remus and pulled Cat next to her.  
  
"Morning, Lils," Remus said and smiled at her. Sirius and James just grunted. Cat fell over, hitting her head on the table. Lily barely noticed, but grabbed a banana and pulled her up by her hair. This result was not pleasant.  
  
"OWW!! Lily, you psycho bitch!! What in bloody hell do you think you're doing?" Cat screamed, her eyes narrowed in anger. The Marauders (minus Peter because he was sleeping) sat back to enjoy the catfight. Sirius seemed especially interested.  
  
"I was just waking you up, Catrina dearest," Lily said innocently and began peeling her banana.  
  
"Waking me up? Trying to rip out my hair, more like it! And you already woke me up once today! That was bad enough!" Cat screamed.  
  
"Lower your voice, dear Calico. Everyone is listening to our conversation." Sirius mouthed 'Calico' to James, who simply shrugged.  
  
"Look at me, you stupid git!" Cat screamed and stood up. Lily calmly looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "What kind of insane witch do you think you are? You could have scalped me, you asinine toadstool!"  
  
"Are you finished screeching, my dear?" Lily asked and Cat glared at her. They simply stared at each other for a few seconds, Cat infuriated, Lily calm. Then they smiled and started laughing. Cat sat (more like collapsed) into her seat. They leaned on each other to prevent themselves from falling onto the floor. Sirius, James, and Remus were looking at them once again with looks of astonishment.  
  
It was then that Peter decided to walk over. For a second, he just stared at the helplessly laughing girls. With a shake of his head, he sat down next to James. "I'm not going to ask," he mumbled.  
  
"Oh, I think we're okay now," Lily said a little breathlessly. "You done screeching, Calico?"  
  
"As long as if you don't pull my hair anymore, Rose," Cat replied, just as breathlessly. James turned to Remus and mouthed 'Rose'. Remus shrugged.  
  
"Deal."  
  
"Cool."  
  
"Well," Sirius interrupted, "that was interesting to say the least."  
  
"Good morning, Sirius," Cat said and reached in front of him to get a carrot. "Once again, carrots miles away."  
  
"I see that now you're awake, you are back to complaining," James said and ignored her glare.  
  
"Ah . . . life as I know it," Lily said. Remus grinned at her and a shadow fell on the table.  
  
"Good morning, Lily dear," the person said. Lily turned around. The smile that had half formed on her lips disappeared. She looked down at the floor.  
  
"Morning, Amos," she mumbled.  
  
"How are you today?" he asked good naturally. The Marauders looked at each other quizzically.  
  
"Fine, and you?" she asked politely, still not looking at him. Next to her, Cat fumed, pointedly not looking at Diggory.  
  
"Lily, dear, could I have a word with you in the hall?" Diggory asked. Lily nodded and stood up. She dutifully followed him out the door into the hall. Cat began stabbing the breakfast sausage that she had placed on her plate moments before and muttering under her breath.  
  
"What could Diggory want with Lils?" Remus asked no one in particular. James shrugged and Sirius shook his head.  
  
"I'll tell you what the creep wants. He wants her back so he can claim that he has a new pet," Cat said and continued stabbing the sausage.  
  
"What do you mean?" Sirius asked, warily eyeing the mutilated sausage.  
  
"Diggory over there treated Lily pretty shitty when they were going out," Cat said with a sigh. "She was blind to it because she loved him. I don't want to get into it now."  
  
"Please, Cat," Remus said softly with pleading eyes, "we'd like to know."  
  
For a second, Cat just looked into those eyes. Maybe it was the 'please' that made her want to tell him. Or maybe it was how he didn't demand like others did. Or maybe she just thought he'd make a good friend to Lily. "I'll tell you after class. I promise. If we don't leave now we'll be late for class."  
  
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"Lily, I'm really sorry if I hurt you," Amos began once they were in the hallway. "I wasn't thinking."  
  
"I understand," Lily said, still not looking at him.  
  
"I realized last night that I made a mistake. I don't love Lola, my dearest. She was just a replacement because I couldn't be with you."  
  
"Really, Amos?" Lily asked, hope shining in her eyes as she looked up.  
  
"Really, my dear." Diggory lifted a hand to brush her hair away from her face. "I love you. How could I not? Will you give me another chance?"  
  
"Of course, Amos," Lily whispered. Diggory smiled and kissed her softly on the lips.  
  
"Will you sit with me at dinner?" he asked, lifting a hand to play with her hair.  
  
"Yes, I will," Lily answered with a little smile on her face.  
  
"I'll see you then, I suppose. We should go or we'll be late for class." Lily nodded. "I love you."  
  
"I love you, too," she whispered. He smiled and walked away. Lily walked to Potions. Alone, once again.  
  
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Well, what do you think? I keep promising that I'm going to give you more action, but it's not happening. How about this - I'll promise that I'll give you more interaction between characters? The shy Lily entered in this chapter and will definitely show up more. Please review! Thank you! 


	7. Potions Class

Disclaimer: Aaaahhhh!! I am so tired of these things. I do not own anything Harry Potter. I am just a pathetic 15 year old with nothing better to write about. I do own Catrina Figg. She's mine. ::evil laugh:: Oh, and Professor Charybdis is mine too.  
  
Author's Note: Okay, I know I changed this once already, but I'm changing it again. I'm changing it BACK to them being in sixth year because of simple laziness. I don't feel like having to write it for all that time...  
  
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"Welcome back, class," Professor Charybdis said as she stood in front of the silent Potions class. Lily sat up front with Cassandra, paying close attention to the Professor. The Marauders sat in the back together, as usual. And their attention was not on the Professor. As usual. Only this time they weren't planning the next prank. They were concentrated on a little redhead that seemed miles away.  
  
"We are not going to lay around in this class, as you already know. Today we are going to work with the complex Controlling Potion. The instructions, as you already see, are on the board. When you finish the potion, bring a sample to me. Begin." Everyone started their potion. Except for three boys. Charybdis glared at the Marauders. Finally they caught on and hurriedly started their potions.  
  
Lily quietly and efficiently worked on her potion, not saying a word to Cat. She didn't need to. Cat knew what was up. "You're going back out with him, aren't you?" she asked quietly.  
  
Lily carefully minced her lavender leaves.  
  
"Are you going out with Diggory?" she asked.  
  
Lily carefully remeasured the leaves and carefully put them into her simmering potion.  
  
"Oy, Lils," Cat whispered a little louder and nudging her in the ribs softly.  
  
She winced and looked up at the board for the next step. She looked back at her worktable and silently reached for her measuring spoons.  
  
"Lily, talk to me!" Cat whined. "Oops," she muttered as she noticed her potion taking on a sickly green color.  
  
Lily slid a glance at her friend's potion and rolled her eyes. She took a pinch of ground ginger root and put it into the concoction. It immediately turned back to its original color of pale blue. Cat blew out her breath softly. "You're a lifesaver, honey. Now, just tell me if you're going with Diggory!"  
  
"Miss Figg!" Charybdis chided. "Keep your voice down. Some people are trying to concentrate, you know." Cat gulped, nodded and looked down at her potion. She didn't try to catch the attention of Lily for the rest of the class.  
  
"What do you think's up with that?" Sirius asked James, who absently shook his head. "I didn't see Lily answer back, did you?" James shook his head again, not looking up from his potion. "Look at me, pal!"  
  
"Sirius, I plan on passing this class," he said out of the corner of his mouth, not looking up. "Next year we take our N.E.W.T.s and as I plan on becoming an Auror, I can't afford to goof off. And Charybdis has it in for us, kiddo. And as she's coming around, I suggest you work on getting that potion back to the color it's supposed to be."  
  
Sirius looked down at his potion and saw it was a bright, neon green when at this point it was supposed to be dull orange. He looked up at the board and muttered the instructions to himself. He backed up a little and smacked himself in the head. "Bat dung! I forgot to put in the newt tails!"  
  
"Silence is golden, Black," Charybdis snarled. "If you insist on making a racket, I'll have to give you a detention."  
  
"Yes, Professor," Sirius muttered reluctantly and glared at her back as she walked happily away. "I'll get you yet, you old bat." For some reason, Charybdis was the only teacher they had yet to prank severely. Well, the year was fresh and they had plenty of time. "Hey, James, you're a genius. How do I change this back?" he whispered when the professor was a safe distance away.  
  
"Forgot the newt tails right?" After Sirius nod, James proceeded to give instructions out of the corner of his mouth, which Sirius followed exactly. Before long, the potion was looking the way it was supposed to.  
  
"Thanks James, you're a lifesaver," he whispered to James.  
  
Time passed silently as everyone worked on their potions. Occasionally, a whisper was heard, but the person was immediately silenced by a look from Charybdis. Except for the Slytherins, of course. They were allowed to do whatever they wished. If they wanted to, they could have cursed all the Gryffindors to hell. What would Charybdis care? She was Head of House.  
  
Lily felt eyes on the back of her head and resisted the urge to look around. She knew who it was, anyway. Remus and James. James and Remus. They had been staring at her the entire class period. Trying to figure her out. Not like they'd be successful, she thought as she finished her potion and set it to cool. Lily Brenna Evans simply wasn't someone you could figure out.  
  
Just then a loud noise was heard from the Slytherin side of the room. Lily closed her eyes ... turned ... and gasped at what she saw.  
  
Severus Snape and the surrounding area was covered in a think, gooey, green substance. Undoubtedly his potion. She quickly looked at the Marauders table to see James and Remus simply shaking their heads. Peter was staring at Snape with his mouth wide open and Sirius was looking at his potion, trying not to laugh. At the same exact moment, Remus and James looked up at Lily.  
  
For a moment, she was frozen. They were both staring at her with pleading eyes... and she spun around to face her potion again.  
  
Meanwhile, Charybdis didn't know what to do. "WHO DID THIS?! I DEMAND TO KNOW WHO DID THIS!" she screeched, making the Gryffindors laugh even more. With a wave of her wand she cleaned up Snape and stormed over to where the Marauders were sitting. James, Remus, and Peter looked at her with perfectly straight and innocent faces. Sirius, on the other hand, could not stop laughing. "What are you laughing at, Black? Do you find this amusing?" He couldn't do anything but shake his head. "I KNOW you had something to do with this, Black. Detention tomorrow night! Cleaning the dungeon. NO MAGIC!!"  
  
This quickly shut Sirius up. He looked over to see Remus and James smirking at him. "Oh stop it, you dunderheads," he whispered to them.  
  
"You should have your potions finished by now. Bring a sample of it up to my desk. NOW!" Charybdis said as she sat behind her desk. Lily was the first one up there, her potion perfect.  
  
"Here you go, Professor."  
  
"Thank you, Miss Evans," Charybdis muttered reluctantly. She had to admit the girl was one of her best students. After she had a sample of everyone's potions, except Snape's of course, she assigned the homework. "I want an essay, two rolls of parchment long, on the effects of the Controlling Potion. Due on Monday. Class dismissed!"  
  
With grumbles, the class collected their supplies and moved out of the room. "Lily! Hey, Lils, wait up!" Cat called to Lily as she made her way out of the dungeons. With a small sigh, Lily stepped to the side and waited for Cat to catch up. "What's going on, Lily?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Lily answered evasively.  
  
"You know what I mean, Rose! What's going on with you and Diggory?"  
  
"Don't call me that, please," she said quietly and looked up at Cat who was giving her a death glare. "Fine, fine.. We're going out again. Are you happy?"  
  
"Lily," Cat said as she sighed, "you know what I think about this. But if it's what makes you happy, then I'm not going to tell you not to go out with him. Just be careful. I don't want you getting hurt like last time." For a few moments, Lily just looked at Cat, surprised at her reaction. She had expected an all out screech-fest.  
  
"Thanks, Cat."  
  
"Anytime, babe." Cat hooked her arm through Lily's and started down the hall.  
  
James watched this little byplay and heard every bit of it. His face paled and he turned to Remus. "She's going back out with Diggory." Remus felt his jaw drop.  
  
"But – what the fuck! They just broke up! This isn't right!" Remus sat on the ground. "I refuse to move until Lily and Maggot break up." Sirius just looked at him, shook his head and kept walking.  
  
James looked at him and held out his hand to his friend. "That's not going to do anything and you know it, Moony." Remus stared at James's hand for a moment and grasped it, accepting the help up. "Let's go on into Transfiguration. We can talk to Lily during dinner."  
  
.............................................  
  
Lily made her way to her dormitory to drop off her books before dinner. She would be sitting at the Hufflepuff table and Cat had already volunteered to tell the Marauders. Chances were she would sit with them and become best friends with the group.  
  
Great, fantastic.  
  
With a sigh, Lily took her books out of her bag and piled them neatly on her desk, largest book on the bottom and smallest on the top. As she set out her quill and ink she couldn't help but think of Remus Lupin and James Potter. All through the day they both had paid extra attention to her, as if they wanted to make sure they were noticed.  
  
Not like they had to do anything extraordinary except be themselves.  
  
Lily had secretly been harboring a crush on the two of them since third year. Remus seemed to be quite the sensitive boy that would know how to love a girl and make her incredibly happy... He also had a dark mysterious side that she only knew about because she had seen him quite a few times in the Library, engrossed in old books. James was the complete opposite of Remus. He was the wild boy of the group, with Sirius as his right hand man. You would be hard pressed to find him ever looking in a book that wasn't filled with new ways to play pranks on people. She supposed that was the reason she was attracted to James, because he was the kind of person she shouldn't be attracted to.  
  
Lily supposed underneath it all, she there was a bad girl. Somewhere.  
  
She ran her hands through her hair, a sure sign that she was frustrated and desperately needed a cigarette. Yes, a cigarette sure sounded nice at that moment.  
  
The habit had stuck to her when during the summer after her third year at Hogwarts she started to hang out with this group of rockers in her neighborhood. She dated the leader of the group, and she now realized it was because he reminded her of James.  
  
Alexei.  
  
When she got home, she should give him a call. For the moment, however, she had to go to dinner and face whatever was going to happen. It should be interesting.  
  
.....................................................................................................................................................................  
  
Author's Note: Sorry about the really really long delay, guys. I was working on my other story, "Confused Destiny's", because it's almost done. Thanks for being so patient with me. I'd like to say thanks to all my reviewers:  
  
Miss Lady Padfoot – You're not dead yet, are you? Sorry it took so long to update. I hope this chapter was good enough.  
  
blackthorn1989 – I'm so glad you're looking after my well-being. My fingers have grown back, as you can see.  
  
Alyssa – Here's the rest of it! Well, part of the rest of it.  
  
VaNiLLacHai 501 – Lily got back with Amos because she's stupid and kinda sorta likes to be pushed around. You'll find out more, later... ::evil laugh::  
  
Ryan Barton – Here's one of my new chapters! Thanks for reviewing!  
  
XoX-PaDfOoTeSs-XoX – If the last wait was horrible, I'm sure this one was worse. Sorry... I'm glad you decided to be merciful, I like my hair. :D  
  
Conspiracy Theorem – Aww... I'm blushing.. ::giggle::  
  
shadowed.phoenix – I liked making Lily stupid in this one. Sure, she's book smart, but she lacks common sense. Come on.. Really. Why would you want to be with Diggory? Especially if hotties like Remus and James are after you. But I'll leave who she chooses as a mystery for a bit... ::evil laugh::  
  
Indiangurl – Hmm... I'll definitely take your suggestion into serious consideration. GIRL POWER!!  
  
Maggie – Yeah, I hate WT, too, but he'll be important to the story, later. Stupid rat. Cat is the way she is because it's odd for her and Lily to be friends. I'll make her nicer later, but she's moody in the morning. She likes her sleep, perhaps a little too much. For now I like her being mean, because it makes me not kill people in real life.  
  
Thanks for reviews from: Urebriviel, firehottie, and LilyEvans13. 


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